With the arrival of September, fall is finally here! Don’t let COVID-19 stop you from participating in all of your favorite fall traditions, either. These 15 fall activities highlight the best ways to celebrate the season while social distancing. So break out your cutest flannel shirt or knee-high boots — then enjoy the crisp autumn air.
1. Find a new hobby.
Fall is a great time to explore new interests. Search for a free online class, try your hand at making some DIY fall crafts, curl up, and read the latest New York Times bestseller, or teach yourself how to sew a face mask. The possibilities are endless.
2. Go apple picking.
This is a total fall classic and doubles as a great way to social distance at the same time! Search for the perfect apple with a small group of friends or family, drink some apple cider, or take a turn through a corn maze.
3. Make homemade caramel apples.
Treat yourself to one of the staple tastes of fall. The classic recipe is easy to make, so challenge yourself a bit and try making this galaxy caramel apple. They’ll taste out of this world and look gorgeous on your IG.
4. Try reverse trick or treat.
Taking a page out of the May Day tradition, put together a little basket of candy and baked goods to surprise a friend or family member with! Drop it off at their door, ring the doorbell, and back away. Chat for a bit or run away to leave them wondering who sent them the sweet surprise.
5. Do yard work.
Enjoy the comfortable weather before winter arrives by polishing your lawn. Rake some leaves to jump in, pull up the weeds, add mulch to the trees, or plant bulbs that will bloom in the spring. If you don’t have a yard, help a family member, friend, or neighbor with theirs.
6. Take a walk or hike.
Another way to get outside is to walk or hike through a national or state park to admire the changing leaves and still green grass. If you want something spookier, find a cemetery near you and visit the gravestones. You’ll definitely be social distancing there!
7. Visit (or order takeout from) a local pizza shop.
A local brick-oven pizza place is a perfect spot to take in the sights of the season and support a small business. Pizzas are made with locally sourced ingredients and fired in wood burning ovens for the freshest tastes. Even if you get it to-go, the meal will provide the essence of an autumn portable fire pit.
8. Make new goals for this year and beyond.
In the spirit of a new season, now’s as good a time as any to revamp your self-improvement plan. Create a list of things you’d like to accomplish by the end of the year, buy a new planner, or start a new workout routine.
9. Write or co-write a spooky story.
Follow in the footsteps of Mary Shelly and challenge your friends to write the scariest story. Or write the first paragraph of your tale, then email (or mail) it to a friend to write the next one, and they can pass it on. Pass it back and forth between the group until you finish!
10. Host a fall-themed happy hour.
Plan a time with your group to hop on a Zoom call after dark, dim the lights, and drink some spiked apple cider. If you set this up with colleagues, then replace work discussions with fall-themed questions or share your favorite fall recipes and cocktails. An added option is to ask everyone to dress up.
11. Put together a puzzle.
If it gets cold earlier where you are, warm up inside with a good ole fashioned puzzle. Improve your cognitive reasoning and concentration by building a puzzle with your family. Check out these 12 adult puzzle options for inspiration.
12. Watch scary movies on Netflix.
Download the Netflix Party plug-in, call up your friends, and have a scary movie marathon! Consult this list to find Halloween movies on Netflix right now and start bingeing!
13. Host a bonfire.
Host some friends for a night under the open skies. Start a fire, channel your inner stargazer, and bring out a telescope or a constellation map while enjoying some smores. As a throwback, you can even play some night games!
14. Throw a Friendsgiving picnic.
Invite your friends to cook their best dishes and meet at a park for a Friendsgiving picnic. If you’re located somewhere it’ll get cold soon, you can celebrate a month or two early — there’s never a bad time for food!
15. Count your blessings and volunteer.
Take a moment to help someone who’s been struggling through this difficult year. Find virtual volunteer opportunities you can work on regardless of where you live, like sending cards to seniors, writing grant proposals, or managing social media sites.
Take this list as inspiration for your fall itinerary. There’s still plenty to do to stay socially engaged and enjoy the changing of seasons — despite having to social distance.
Photo by Cecile Vedemil on Unsplash
